Alvin Bailey Scouting Report: NFL Outlook for Arkansas Guard

Arkansas' Alvin Bailey is a late-round prospect who has some upside. He isn't the type of player who's ready to step in and make an immediate impact. However, Bailey's size and natural strength give him potential as a developmental player.

As the below report will highlight, Bailey's limited athleticism might keep him from ever becoming a consistent contributor.

Strengths

Weaknesses

+ Size and Build

- Lacks Quick Feet

+ Raw Strength

- Poor Change of Direction

+ Effective at Second Level

- Limited Athleticism

Tools

Height: 6’3”

Weight: 312 pounds

Arm Length: 34 ¾”

40-Yard Dash Time: 4.95

Intangibles/Character: Arkansas' offensive line was lucky enough to have a reliable player like Alvin Bailey in the lineup. He finished his career with 38 consecutive starts, never missing a game since redshirting in 2009.

System: Bailey’s limited athleticism and foot speed hinders his system versatility. His best fit is in a power-blocking scheme that allows him to use his raw strength. Basically, he needs to stay out of situations where he’s asked to work in space.

Pass Blocking: Protecting the quarterback will be a problem for Bailey. He lacks the quickness, change-of-direction ability and balance to limit pressure. The image below shows an example of how quicker defenders are able to beat Bailey off the ball and shoot the gap.

His inability to consistently beat the pass-rusher out of his stance puts him immediately out of position. It typically leads to balance problems and the need to over commit to one direction. This not only makes him susceptible to counter moves, but also hurts his anchor.

The clip below shows Bailey’s lack of balance and the penetration it allows:

Any team looking for Bailey to make an immediate impact must find a way to give him help in pass protection.

Run Blocking: Bailey has the natural strength and arm length needed to generate a push off the line. He also shows good balance at the second level. The below clip shows Bailey working his way to the second level and delivering an important block.

However, the same issues that plague him in pass protection also limit Bailey’s potential as a run blocker. Defenders are able to consistently get across his face and wreak havoc in the backfield. This type of penetration really disrupts the timing of the offense. It also results in a lot of negative plays for the ground game.

Blocking in Space: A lack of fluid movements and poor change-of-direction ability makes Bailey a real liability in space. He just isn’t able to react quickly enough to mirror the pass rusher. The image below shows Bailey with a slow reaction which resulted in him lunging at the defender.

Hand Fighting: Bailey’s long arms and good upper body strength allows him to Velcro to defenders. He works hard to ensure that he gets inside hand placement, and seems to know that it’s the key to his success.

This is a very important part of Bailey’s game, as he lacks the athleticism to mirror. He is far more effective when he’s able to quickly get his hands into the frame of the defender.

Recovery: Because of his solid base and natural strength, Bailey does a good job resetting after the initial contact. The issue surrounding Bailey’s recovery ability deals with his poor change-of-direction. Savvy pass-rushers will have an easy time taking advantage by using quick counter moves.

Technique: Despite a wide range of shortcomings, Bailey’s technique plays a role in his ability to find some success. He shows a commitment to keep his pads low and to maintain a wide base. This helps him temper some of his struggles with balance and change of direction.

Bailey also keeps his hands out in front of his body and works to get inside placement. Velcroing to the defender is the only way Bailey can protect the quarterback or open running lanes.

Future Role/Versatility: Bailey needs to be in an offense that features a power-running attack. He’s not quick enough to fit in a zone-blocking scheme. This should limit the amount of teams that consider adding Bailey to the mix.